St Kilda set for major upheaval with football boss to leave

AS ST KILDA prepares for a major off-season shake-up, former coach Grant Thomas has taken aim at the club’s “pedestrian” administration while saying the Saints are miles away from success.

There is speculation St Kilda president Peter Summers will step down. Picture: Michael Klein

ST KILDA football director Andrew Thompson is set to resign as the embattled Saints prepare for major off-season upheaval.

It has emerged that retired stars Nick Riewoldt and Leigh Montagna have been recently sounded out about returning to assist the club.

As St Kilda reviews every facet of its failing football program, former coach Grant Thomas has taken aim at the club’s off-field leadership, questioning whether the club’s powerbrokers had the know-how to deliver on-field success.

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Thomas, sacked by the Saints at the end of 2006, didn’t put the club’s current struggles down to coaching, instead turning the blowtorch to the St Kilda administration.

“You can have bad coaching appointments. It doesn’t mean it should end up as an unmitigated disaster, you can actually do things,” he said.

Grant Thomas was sacked after taking the Saints to the finals.

“It gets amplified when you have senior people around that poor coaching decision that aren’t competent enough.”

Thomas said Saints chairman Peter Summers and CEO Matt Finnis were “lovely people” who want the best for St Kilda.

“But I’m not sure they’re at the cutting edge of what’s required to be successful,” Thomas told Macquarie Sports Radio.

“You know, they seem to me to be quite pedestrian and quite placating in their approach to footy.

“You just want something a little bit more intense and focused and stronger leadership to deliver success.”

Asked how far away St Kilda was from another premiership, Thomas was blunt.

“Decades. It is as simple as that,” he said.

“They are miles off. I don’t think players want to go there and I don’t know what they stand for at the moment.”

The Saints’ shake-up comes after news Brett Ratten is firming to join Alan Richardson’s coaching team in 2019

The highly-respected Hawthorn assistant and ex-Carlton coach has spent six seasons honing under four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson the tactical acumen the Saints are desperate to add.

Saints coach Alan Richardson’s job has been declared safe for now. Picture: Getty Images

Saints forwards coach Rohan Welsh, midfield coach Simon McPhee and defensive coach Lindsay Gilbee have already been moved on.

Veteran football boss Graeme “Gubby” Allan is also being considered to head up a revamped recruiting department alongside newly-appointed list boss James Gallagher.

Thompson, who played 221 games for the Saints, has served on the St Kilda board since 2007 and overseen a decade of decision-making in the football department.

Close to league chief Gillon McLachlan, Thompson led the 2014 review that triggered the sacking of coach Scott Watters.

Ex-Saint Dean Anderson will remain on the Summers-led board with a second retired player to be added in coming months.

Speculation is growing that Summers will also step down as part of an imminent board reshuffle.

Other Saints directors include Andrew Bassat, Jack Rush, QC, Russell Caplan, Liz Dawson, Danni Roche, Paul Kirk and chief executive Matt Finnis.

While football boss Simon Lethlean has backed Richardson to keep his job, heavy losses against Hawthorn and North Melbourne in the final two games could yet force St Kilda’s hand.

Fourteen of St Kilda’s 15 defeats this season have been by more than 24 points.

They will miss the finals for a seventh-straight season — two under Watters and five under Richardson.

Retired Saints stars Leigh Montagna and Nick Riewoldt are believed to have been sounded out to return to the club. Picture: Getty Images

The Saints have declared an interest in Sydney premiership star Dan Hannebery, rising West Coast free agent Scott Lycett and injury-plagued Geelong forward Daniel Menzel.

Richardson last week declared his club would be big players in the off-season.

“We want to be bold and aggressive,” Richardson said.

“We want to make sure we’re leaving no stone unturned to win our second flag.”

But coaching great Mick Malthouse launched a withering weekend attack on St Kilda’s recruiting philosophies, saying the club’s interest in Hannebery was misguided.

“His body is gone,” Malthouse said.

“He is an old 27-year-old. He would be one of the last players I would pick.

“It’s a typical reaction from to the Saints, and you get so disappointed with their selections at times.

“You think it’s been a long time since 1966 to win a premiership.

“What has taken place? Is this (Hannebery interest) going to be a repeat of making a bad move?”

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